Nov 13, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Food and Agricultural Business Major, BS in Agricultural and Resource Economics


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Advisors
Boyer, DeLong, Lay, and Walton

Students majoring in food and agricultural business are prepared for a wide variety of career opportunities. The focus of their studies is on the functioning of the agri-food sector in the global economic system and the economic principles for decision making by business managers, consumers, policymakers, and others within that sector. Students complete a curriculum designed to provide them with a broad-based education and the specialized skills necessary for a successful career in the agri-food industry or with a related organization or public agency. The curriculum builds upon the university-wide general education requirements by adding a set of directed electives from within the Herbert College of Agriculture, a set of core courses from within the Haslam College of Business, and a set of required courses within the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Students customize their program by selecting among upper-division electives within the department. General elective hours in the curriculum allow flexibility for students to pursue a minor within some area of technical agriculture or another field such as communications. Students have ample opportunity to develop strong microcomputer skills and gain practical real-world experiences through case study analyses, the NAMA marketing team, internships, and extracurricular activities. Students must complete an experiential learning requirement involving either an internship, an undergraduate research project, or a study abroad experience.

Students graduating with a major in food and agricultural business have many career options. Many graduates take positions in management or marketing with businesses involved in the farm input supply sector. This would include large multinational corporations that manufacture inputs such as machinery, chemicals, and feed, as well as local retailers of such items. Other graduates manage operations involved in the production of agricultural commodities or the processing of food products. Graduates also find career opportunities with food distribution and retailing companies serving as managers, marketing representatives, or in areas of customer service and public relations. Graduates are employed in financial institutions, insurance agencies, or real estate companies. Many industry organizations and government agencies also have employment opportunities for our graduates. It is not uncommon for our graduates to take positions with businesses that are outside the agri-food industry. Graduates also find themselves well prepared for graduate study in agricultural and resource economics or agribusiness management, as well as for professional programs such as law.

Students who wish to target a specific career direction can choose to pursue one of the four optional concentrations: Agricultural Production and Technology Management, Law and Policy, Finance and Risk Management, and Food Industry Management. Because each of these concentrations requires students to complete a more specific set of courses than the base major, students must work closely with their advisor to assure that they schedule required courses prior to their planned graduation date. Many required courses are offered only once per academic year, while a few are offered only every other year. Students unable to complete the required courses as listed for one of the optional concentrations for any reason (e.g., scheduling conflicts with alternate-year courses) will revert to using the base Food and Agricultural Business major.

uTrack Requirements

Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester, known as milestones. Milestones include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics – Food and Agricultural Business Major


Term 1 Hours Milestone Notes
AREC 110   1 One Volunteer Core  elective*
1Natural Sciences  Elective* 4  
2Global Citizenship – US  Elective* 3  
ENGL 101 * or ENGL 118  3  
MATH 123  3  
Term 2
2Global Citizenship – International  Elective* 3 One additional Volunteer Core  elective*
ENGL 102  3  
MATH 125  3  
2Natural Sciences  Elective* 3  
ECON 211  3  
Term 3
ACCT 200  or ACCT 207   3 ENGL 101 
PSYC 110 *, PSYC 117 *, POLS 102 *, SOCI 120 *, or SOCI 127  3  
ECON 213  3  
CMST 210 *, CMST 217 *, CMST 240 *, or CMST 247 * or ALEC 240  3  
2Natural Sciences  Elective* 3  
Term 4
AREC 212   3 AREC 201 * or ECON 211 * or ECON 213 
3FDSC 100 * or FDSC 150  or NUTR 100  3  
2Natural Sciences  Elective* 3  
STAT 201 * or STAT 207  3  
4Non-departmental Herbert Elective 3  
Term 5
2Written Communications  Elective* 3 AREC 212  
AREC 310   1 MATH 119   or MATH 123 * or MATH 125 
ECON 311   3  
5AREC Electives 3  
2Arts and Humanities  Elective* 3  
4Nondepartmental Herbert College of Agriculture Elective 3  
Term 6
AREC 324  or BAS 320  or ECON 381   3-4 ACCT 200  
AREC 342 * 3 300-level AREC Elective
AREC 350 * 3  
5AREC Electives* 2-3  
4Nondepartmental Herbert College of Agriculture Elective 3  
2Non-AREC Engaged Inquiries  Elective* 3  
Term 7
Any upper-division course in Haslam College of Business 3 Apply to graduate
AREC 410   1  
AREC 412   3  
5AREC Electives 3  
4Nondepartmental Herbert College of Agriculture Elective 3  
6Experiential Learning 3  
Term 8
AREC 442 * 3 No milestones
7Unrestricted Electives 9  
TOTAL 120  
1 Natural Sciences  with Lab course chosen from the Volunteer Core  list.
2 Chosen from the Volunteer Core  list. No more than two of the three Natural Science electives may be Herbert courses.
3 NUTR 100 *can also be used to satisfy Volunteer Core  Natural Sciences  requirement.
4 Nondepartmental Herbert College of Agriculture electives can also be used to satisfy Volunteer Core  Requirements.
5 Any 300-level or 400-level AREC courses. A maximum of three credit hours can be used from each of the following courses: AREC 356 , AREC 492 AREC 493 , and AREC 499 .
6 Chosen from AGNR 491  or AREC 356   or AREC 395  or AREC 492  or AREC 499 .
7 Any courses not already required for the major.    

*  Meets Volunteer Core Requirements .

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